Grinch-Inspired Macarons with Whipped Red Velvet Ganache
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Your one-way ticket to Whoville, these Grinch Macarons feature mischievously green almond meringue cookies sandwiched together by a rich, whipped red velvet ganache. The perfect homemade gift for a Grinch fan or a sweet treat to enjoy while watching the movie.
Grinch French Macarons Recipe
You’re a bold one, Macaron Grinch,
A holiday showoff in green,
With a shell crisp enough to crack and a red velvet center that’s obscene.
You’ve got almond swagger,
And red heart sprinkles scattered,
You’re the cookie that struts in looking mean but tastes pristine.
This week has turned into an unofficial Christmas macaron week over here with today’s Grinch macarons being the 4th of 5 Christmas-themed macarons.
We kicked things off with an 10th anniversary update of our Santa’s Belt Macarons, and then followed it up with a trio of brand new macaron recipes:
Today, our Grinch Macarons are bringing all of the nostalgic and playful Christmas vibes with their vibrant colors and Seussically-themed design. Although he may have preferred an onion-flavored macaron, I think the sweet almond and red velvet flavor of these whimsical little morsels would warm even his little heart.
(If you or your children are big Dr Seuss fans, Seussville at Universal Studios should definitely be on your travel bucket list! Check out our Guide to Universal Studios with Kids here.)
PS – we’ve since added Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake Macarons, too!
A big myth with macarons are that they are super hard to make. While they are definitely a recipe that needs to be followed to the letter (!) they don’t deserve their reputation as incredibly tricky or technical.
Practically no one is intimidated by making boxed pasta – even though it needs to be cooked the perfect amount of time to not be too crunchy or too mushy. It needs to be drained and enjoyed quite quickly after making for best results. To make the perfect pasta, you have to rely on visual and textural cues, while timing things well. The same principles exist with macarons.
For example, the egg whites need to be beaten for a full 4-8 minutes so they become fluffy and shiny. They cannot be over-beaten or under-beaten (so watch them carefully). The finished macaron batter should flow like lava – thick, without clumps.
Grinch Macaron Variations:
- If you are very confident in your decorating skills, you can shape these in an oblong shape and decorate the macarons to look like the Grinch’s face
- Fill with a thick jam or a fruit curd
- Use cream cheese frosting as a filling. To make, combine 4oz cream cheese with 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered confectioner’s sugar and 1-2 Tablespoons cream.
- Replace the ganache with a buttercream frosting
- Use a marshmallow creme filling, either straight from the jar or combine 1/2 cup with 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered confectioner’s sugar and 1-2 Tablespoons cream
- Replace the ganache with Nutella
- Add powdered flavouring, like crushed dehydrated strawberries or other freeze-dried powders, to give the shells a fruity flavor (about 1-2 teaspoons is plenty)
- Add spices like cinnamon, matcha powder, etc
- For a vegan option, you can use aquafaba (chickpea water) and whip up to a meringue-like consistency
- Almond flour can be replaced with finely ground pistachios or hazelnut, as long as it’s super fine
Eggnog Macaron FAQs
How to store macarons: These macarons can be stored in the fridge for a week, or at room temperature for 2-3 days (as long as you only use a ganache filling).
How to freeze macarons: It’s best to freeze the macaron shells without the filling, as the filling can soften the texture of the meringue cookies, however you can freeze them with the filling if you don’t mind the slightly softened texture.
To freeze the macarons, flash freeze on a baking sheet or tray for one hour before transferring to a ziptop freezer bag or your favorite freezer containers, with each layer of cookies separated by parchment paper. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.) The macarons can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours, then bring out and let come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving or enjoying.
More Pro Tips for Making Macarons:
- Carton egg whites can be substituted; however, we do recommend freshly separated eggs for better results.
- Room temperature egg whites whip up quicker than cold egg whites.
- Meringue powder is recommended to help stabilize the egg whites while whipping – but it is optional.
- Egg white powder (available online) is recommended to help fill the gaps in the macaron shells and make them fuller.
- Once baked, always store the shells in an airtight container. It does not take long for them to dry out and lose their chewiness.
Check out this quick recipe video to see how to make macarons for an idea of what the batter should look like at various stages of the recipe (note that this is not a video for these eggnog macarons – just another macaron recipe on my site that has similar steps):
Grinch Macaron Ingredients
- 130 g almond flour (approx. 1 1/3 cup loosely packed)
- 130 g powdered sugar (approx. 1 cup)
- 90 g granulated sugar (approx. 1/3 cup)
- 100 g egg whites (approx. ½ cup – about 3 large eggs worth)
- ½ teaspoon meringue powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon egg white powder (optional)
- Green food coloring
Whipped Red Velvet Ganache Ingredients:
- 10 oz white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoon red velvet flavoring
To Decorate the Macarons:
- ½ cup green candy melts
- ¼ cup red heart sprinkles
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: replace the cream of tartar with ½ teaspoon meringue powder. You can also replace the egg white powder with meringue powder.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Kitchen scale
- Sifter
- Silicone Spatula
- Electric mixer with whisk attachment
- Mixing bowl
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment or Silicone baking mat with macaron template
- Pastry bag (or a Ziptop bag)
- Large round metal tip
How to Make Grinch Macaron Cookies
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Separate the eggs and retain the egg whites – be sure that there is no yolk, or they will not whip up. Beat egg whites until foamy in the bowl of the mixer with the whisk attachment, about one minute.
Add in the meringue powder or cream of tartar. Slowly add granulated sugar in three increments and mix well after every addition on medium speed. Once all the sugar has been combined, increase the speed to medium / high and mix for another five minutes. Mixture should be very stiff peaks and balled up in the whisk attachment and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Add in the green food coloring and mix just until combined.
Combine almond flour, powdered sugar, and (optional) egg white powder or meringue powder together in a fine mesh strainer and gently sieve, leaving behind any larger chunks and discarding.
Pour the sifted dry ingredients into the whipped mixture and stir only enough to incorporate. From here, slowly start to fold, deflating the mixture and occasionally checking for consistency. Take special care to scrape the bottoms and sides of the bowl to ensure no dry ingredients are hiding. To check the consistency, pull a scoop of the mixture up with your spatula and let the mixture drop back into the bowl.
When it’s ready, it should flow nicely off the spatula, ribboning as it falls and then re-incorporating back into the mixture within about a 20 second count. The mixture should be the consistency of lava. Too few turns will result in tall macarons with a “peak”. Too many turns will result in the macarons spreading outward like traditional cookies rather than upward to get the nice, ruffled edges (feet).
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round metal tip. If you do not have a tip, then just a straight cut across will do. Also, if you do not have a pastry bag, a Ziploc will also work.
Prepare your baking pan by turning it upside down if it has a rim to it. Place your mat on the pan or your template with parchment paper covering it.
Holding the bag approximately ½ inch above the template and perpendicular to the pan, using the center as a bullseye in the center and slowly squeeze the bag, keeping it in one place until the mixture reaches the inner circle of the template (provided). The mixture should settle to the outer line. Pipe out all the rounds until all batter has been used.
Take the entire baking sheet with the piped rounds on it and firmly hit the sheet on the counter several times, releasing any air bubbles and settling the batter. Any stubborn air bubbles can be popped with a toothpick.
Allow the piped rounds to rest for at least 30 minutes. The tops should no longer be sticky/tacky. Sacrifice one shell to test by gently touching the surface. If it sticks to your finger, it’s not ready yet. Allow it to rest until you can touch it without sticking to your finger.
Once they have rested for about 30 minutes, place the tray in the oven and bake for 10-11 minutes. If baking more than one tray at a time, make sure to rotate the pans halfway through the cooking time. Let them cool on the pan. When cooled, very gently remove from baking sheet. Store in an airtight container stacked on their sides until ready to fill.
How to Make Red Velvet Ganache Filling:
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat for about 1 minute and stir well. Heat for an additional 15 seconds if needed and stir until smooth. Add in the red velvet flavoring and stir well.
Transfer the ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside to cool slightly.
Once the bowl is no longer warm to the touch, whip the ganache for 2-3 minutes on medium speed or until the ganache looks more like frosting and is fluffy looking. Transfer the whipped ganache to a piping bag and set aside until ready to assemble.
To assemble – lay out your macaron shells and pair up similar size partners. Pipe one half of the shells with the whipped ganache. Sandwich with the top half of the shells.
Melt the green candy melts in a microwave safe bowl, heating in 30 second increments and stirring well between each interval until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag.
Cut a small hole in the bag of the green melts and drizzle over the macarons. Quickly sprinkle with the red sprinkle hearts before the candy melt sets up. Repeat with remaining macarons.
Pin this Easy Grinch-Inspired French Macaron recipe for your holiday baking inspiration:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our Grinch macarons recipe:
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Grinch Macarons
Grinch Macarons bring all of the nostalgic and playful Christmas vibes with their vibrant colors and Seussically-themed design. Although he may have preferred an onion-flavored macaron, I think the sweet almond and red velvet flavor of these whimsical little morsels would warm even his little heart.
Ingredients
For the Grinch Meringue Cookies:
- 130 g almond flour (approx. 1 1/3 cup loosely packed)
- 130 g powdered sugar (approx. 1 cup)
- 90 g granulated sugar (approx. 1/3 cup)
- 100 g egg whites (approx. ½ cup – about 3 large eggs worth)
- ½ teaspoon meringue powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon egg white powder (optional)
- Green food coloring
For the Whipped Red Velvet Ganache Ingredients:
- 10 oz white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoon red velvet flavoring
To Decorate the Macarons:
- ½ cup green candy melts
- ¼ cup red heart sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Separate the eggs and retain the egg whites – be sure that there is no yolk, or they will not whip up. Beat egg whites until foamy in the bowl of the mixer with the whisk attachment, about one minute.
- Add in the meringue powder or cream of tartar. Slowly add granulated sugar in three increments and mix well after every addition on medium speed. Once all the sugar has been combined, increase the speed to medium / high and mix for another five minutes. Mixture should be very stiff peaks and balled up in the whisk attachment and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Add in the green food coloring and mix just until combined.
- Combine almond flour, powdered sugar, and (optional) egg white powder or meringue powder together in a fine mesh strainer and gently sieve, leaving behind any larger chunks and discarding.
- Pour the sifted dry ingredients into the whipped mixture and stir only enough to incorporate. From here, slowly start to fold, deflating the mixture and occasionally checking for consistency. Take special care to scrape the bottoms and sides of the bowl to ensure no dry ingredients are hiding. To check the consistency, pull a scoop of the mixture up with your spatula and let the mixture drop back into the bowl.
- When it’s ready, it should flow nicely off the spatula, ribboning as it falls and then re-incorporating back into the mixture within about a 20 second count. The mixture should be the consistency of lava. Too few turns will result in tall macarons with a “peak”. Too many turns will result in the macarons spreading outward like traditional cookies rather than upward to get the nice, ruffled edges (feet).
- Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round metal tip. If you do not have a tip, then just a straight cut across will do. Also, if you do not have a pastry bag, a Ziploc will also work.
- Prepare your baking pan by turning it upside down if it has a rim to it. Place your mat on the pan or your template with parchment paper covering it.
- Holding the bag approximately ½ inch above the template and perpendicular to the pan, using the center as a bullseye in the center and slowly squeeze the bag, keeping it in one place until the mixture reaches the inner circle of the template (provided). The mixture should settle to the outer line. Pipe out all the rounds until all batter has been used.
- Take the entire baking sheet with the piped rounds on it and firmly hit the sheet on the counter several times, releasing any air bubbles and settling the batter. Any stubborn air bubbles can be popped with a toothpick.
- Allow the piped rounds to rest for at least 30 minutes. The tops should no longer be sticky/tacky. Sacrifice one shell to test by gently touching the surface. If it sticks to your finger, it’s not ready yet. Allow it to rest until you can touch it without sticking to your finger.
- Once they have rested for about 30 minutes, place the tray in the oven and bake for 10-11 minutes. If baking more than one tray at a time, make sure to rotate the pans halfway through the cooking time. Let them cool on the pan. When cooled, very gently remove from baking sheet. Store in an airtight container stacked on their sides until ready to fill.
How to Make Red Velvet Ganache Filling:
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat for about 1 minute and stir well. Heat for an additional 15 seconds if needed and stir until smooth. Add in the red velvet flavoring and stir well.
- Transfer the ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Once the bowl is no longer warm to the touch, whip the ganache for 2-3 minutes on medium speed or until the ganache looks more like frosting and is fluffy looking. Transfer the whipped ganache to a piping bag and set aside until ready to assemble.
To assemble Grinch Macarons:
- Lay out your macaron shells and pair up similar size partners. Pipe one half of the shells with the whipped ganache. Sandwich with the top half of the shells.
- Melt the green candy melts in a microwave safe bowl, heating in 30 second increments and stirring well between each interval until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag.
- Cut a small hole in the bag of the green melts and drizzle over the macarons. Quickly sprinkle with the red sprinkle hearts before the candy melt sets up. Repeat with remaining macarons.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Valentines Sprinkles, Red Heart Sprinkles for Cake Decorating, Heart Sprinkles Edible for Baking, Ice Cream, Cookies, Cupcake Topper -
LorAnn Oils Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion: True Essence, Ideal for Boosting Fruit Tones in Cakes, Cookies & Desserts, Gluten-Free, Keto-Friendly, Extract Substitute Essential for Your Kitchen, 4 Oz
-
Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour, 16 Ounce
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
25Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 172Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 20mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 2g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your family loves these easy Grinch-inspired macarons as much as my family does!
For more scrumptious cookies, check out our full cookie recipe collection here:
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here:
